


Near Perfect

by pressdbtwnpages



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-01
Updated: 2011-11-01
Packaged: 2017-10-27 09:43:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/294360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pressdbtwnpages/pseuds/pressdbtwnpages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>If Kara could do just one near perfect thing, she’d be happy.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Near Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://ladies-fest.livejournal.com/profile)[**ladies_fest**](http://ladies-fest.livejournal.com/) Prompt #30 "If I could do just one near perfect thing I'd be happy/ They'd write it on my grave, or when they scattered my ashes/ On second thoughts I'd rather hang around/ And be there with my best friend if she wants me - Belle and Sebastian _If She Wants Me_ "

_If I could do just one near perfect thing I'd be happy,  
They'd write it on my grave, or when they scattered my ashes,  
On second thoughts I'd rather hang around,  
And be there with my best friend if she wants me - Belle and Sebastian "If She Wants Me"_

Kara has been trying to get the Colonial Fleet to Earth longer than anybody.

She was the brawn to Roslin’s brain way back in the months after the worlds were destroyed. It was she who abandoned her post, her family, and jumped back to the nuclear waste of Caprica for an artifact that had the theoretical possibility of maybe helping to unlock a clue to the direction of Earth. It’s Kara whose body was irrevocably altered by that quest.

It was Kara who tromped with the president and Zarek’s goons through the mud of Kobol. She wasn’t alone, and that made it easier, made it worth it to watch Lee’s expression flicker to amazement as they stood inside the Tomb of Athena and were transported to Earth.

It was Kara who sacrificed herself, who _died_ for the map to earth. Kara who destroyed friendships, invoked mutinies on the path to a verdant myth.

Kara who lead the fleet to an unlivable ball of ash, who lit her own pyre and watched it burn.

And it was Kara who brought them to earth.

She gave the fleet their bright shiny future, she helped unpack the things that they were keeping and helped send the rest into the sun.

It wasn’t the easiest journey, lords know Kara has made plenty of mistakes, but at the end of it is this perfect untouched planet. They will remember her for this. She doesn’t need a planet named after her, the planet already has a name, but a temple or two wouldn’t be remiss.

The gods have a cruel sense of humor. Or is it God? Kara can’t remember what she’s supposed to be believing. In any case, whoever’s running the show, they’re bastards. Kara’s given up her body, her life, her love, multiple times for that stupid hunk of dirt, and she’s not even allowed to enjoy it. Instead of exploring a brand new planet, Kara’s a gods damned shade, watching it all.

She watches Bill Adama bury Laura Roslin and build a cabin. Watches Gaius farm and Hera grow. Watches Lee Adama pretend to care about politics and building a civilization when she knows he wants to be climbing mountains. Kara watches and it doesn’t feel worth it. Not one temple. Not even a godsdamn myth.

Kara thought that it would be worth it. That if she could do just one near perfect thing she’d be happy. She didn’t realize that at the end she wouldn’t get to enjoy it. That she would still be making sacrifices beyond the grave. Twice beyond the grave.

The mean, spiteful part of Kara -which is smaller than most people realize- almost wishes she’d never found earth. She’d rather be traveling around in a tin can, hanging out with Lee, with Helo and Athena and Hera, with Sam, than in this useless ether.

Some days she wonders if she’s going to wake up. If she and Lee will be tucked together in a bunk the night after Colonial Day. If she’ll wake on Earth in 200,000 years and sip store-bought coffee out of a paper cup while she watches the robots who are about to rise. All of this has happened before.

If Kara could do just one near perfect thing, she’d be happy.


End file.
